Vickers win new congregation for the digital age

More than half-a-million people have viewed videos of a legendary Blackpool band from the 60s.

Hundreds of thousands of YouTube users have watched footage of long-defunct resort band The Rockin’ Vickers.

The huge rise in the number of people watching old footage of the band, or just viewing photographs on the site comes six months after the death of the band’s former guitarist Lemmy.

Better known as Ian Kilmister when he was a Vicker, Lemmy went on to become a cult rock figure in Hawkwind and Motorhead.

He died last December in Los Angeles aged 70.

The Rockin’ Vickers were one of the North West’s biggest live attractions during their heyday in the early to mid 60s.

In March, as part of record store day, a limited edition seven inch single of their cove version of Dandy by the Kinks was released.

The limited run, a replica of the band’s biggest single from 1966, sold out within hours.

Now a new generation of fans are discovering the band through the internet.

Formed in 1963, the band built their reputation by covering R&B and beat standards, but soon became known for their unusually intense live shows and outlandish

stage costumes, dressing as vicars.

Although mainly popular as a local act around Blackpool, the Vickers also toured mainland Europe, being one of the earliest British rock bands to perform in an Iron Curtain country, when they played in Yugoslavia in the summer of 1965.

Lead singer turned Blackpool car dealer Harry Feeney remembers his days with the band with fondness.